Published in 2006, Eat Pray Love is Elizabeth Gilbert's memoir of self-discovery that was adapted into a 2010 film starring Julia Roberts.
Elizabeth Gilbert is unsatisfied in her privileged life. Her marriage has crumbled and she is depressed. After a difficult divorce, she embarks on a journey to Italy, India, and Indonesia. In Italy, she finds pleasure and happiness in eating. In India, she finds God (and herself) through prayer. Finally, in Indonesia, she finds a balance between pleasure and spirituality through love.
Gilbert is a good writer. She has a style that I cannot characterize, mainly because it changes with location, but what does not change is her cleverness and humor.
The best parts of the story are the author's descriptions of Italy, India, Indonesia, and her friends. Gilbert never skimps on details and I actually liked her friends better than her.
The author is somewhat unlikable. She was an Upper East Sider who owned two houses and had a great job. Her marriage turned problematic and she cried a lot over it. Then she met this vibrant and young guy who she dated on and off and then she cried some more. Bottom line, she is whiny. She visited three exotic, interesting, and in some places, impoverished countries and only focused on herself. Her selfish exploration left me disappointed; there were few insights to draw on in my own life.
I didn't like the "ME ME ME" tone polluting the beauty of the places she visited; one and a half out of five stars.
First published in 1886, The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde is one of Robert Louis Stevenson's most famous works.
Gabriel Utterson is the executor of Dr Henry Jekyll's will. In his will, Jekyll has bequeathed his assets to his friend, Edward Hyde. While walking with another lawyer, Utterson hears of a despicable act carried out by Hyde. Utterson investigates further.
I didn't include spoilers in my plot summary but the ubiquitous references to it in pop culture will probably have ruined it for you anyway. If this were the Victorian Era, the ending would be shocking. Since we all know he ending, the climax is not exciting.
I will tell you that Jekyll represents good and Hyde represents evil, making them foils. However, there are not enough good acts to establish Jekyll as good, and Hyde's crimes aren't that evil. I wish there were more support for the characters' personalities.
The last chapter sums up the mystery in a letter written by Jekyll. The novella ends with the letter. It would make sense to have some closure and reactions after the mystery is solved. Truly, though, this doesn't bother me, because I was not invested in Stevenson's underdeveloped characters.
Stevenson's writing is straightforward but disconnected and dry, making this an unenjoyable read.
Overall, I liked the theme (which I can't reveal) of Jekyll and Hyde, but many elements of the work are half-baked. I rate this book two out of five stars.
Thirteen Reasons Why (2007) is regarded as a YA fiction jewel and is Jay Asher's first novel.
Clay Jensen is a high schooler whose classmate, Hannah Baker, has recently killed herself. Clay mysteriously receives a package of cassette tapes in the mail that have been narrated by Hannah. He soon learns that Hannah intended for the cassettes to be listened to by the thirteen people whose actions are the "reasons" she killed herself. Hannah has insured that each person who receives the tapes will send them to the next person "implicated" in her suicide.
Hannah's story, as told on the cassettes, appears in the book in italics, juxtaposed with Clay's reactions. Despite the font changes, it is hard to differentiate the narratives because the voices are similar. Strike one against the book.
Hannah Baker is interesting. She blames the schoolmates mentioned on her cassettes for her problems. Realistically, her problems happen to a lot of people in high school, barely any of whom kill themselves. If there were more detail about Hannah's past, and not just the events right before her suicide, it would have been easier to understand why she did it. Without knowing the background and deeper issues, it's unrealistic for her to have killed herself over a few incidents with jerks and moving to a new school. Strike two.
In the end, Clay's reactions to Hannah's suicide tale are not fully revealed to us; his only response is to approach and talk to a wallflower. The weak ending means we don't learn how all of the characters tie up their feelings for Hannah. The botched ending is strike three.
I understand Asher's message: that our actions affect everyone, so be careful about what you do and say. Great message, poorly executed.
I don't understand why this book has received such lofty praise. The writing is mediocre and there are plenty of better and more realistic books on teen suicide (Looking For Alaska, It's Kind of a Funny Story, The Bell Jar). One out of five stars.
